Early Childhood Australia


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The latest early childhood news!

In this issue, beyondblue will partner with headspace and Early Childhood Australia (ECA) to run a program providing tools for teachers to support kids with mental health concerns; and the ECA Leadership Program is in full swing—sign up today! In other news, Community Child Care Co-operative has launched its national presence as Community Early Learning Australia; due to increased funding, the Start Strong program has been extended until 2021; and $46 million will be invested to upgrade wireless connectivity to more than 900 regional and remote New South Wales schools. New resources include a report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare on the proportion of Australian children who are fully immunised; and a resource sheet from the Australian Institute of Family Studies discussing a snapshot of data describing child protection activity in Australia. Around the country, the 2017 NAIDOC Week celebrations will be held from 2–9 July; the South Australian Collaborative Childhood Project invites you to attend the Re-imagining Childhood conference from 6–8 November 2017; early bird registrations close Friday 23 June for the 7th SNAICC National Conference; and the Australian Institute of Family Studies is inviting readers to participate in a short survey to help shape its 2018 conference. And finally, we fill you in on the latest state and territory news.

Jump down to find out what the various ECA teams and projects have been up to and the new resources available for the early childhood sector.

We are seeking your assistance!

Researchers from the University of New South Wales are interested in your thoughts and experiences surrounding the immunisation of early childhood professionals in early childhood education and care (ECEC) services. We invite you to complete a five-minute anonymous survey.

At the completion of the survey, participants can enter the draw to win a major prize: a $500 gift voucher or one of four Westfield $100 gift vouchers. Take the survey today and share the link throughout your networks.

Supporting mental health

The Turnbull Government will invest in two new mental health programs to ensure Australian children and young people receive the support they need. beyondblue will partner with headspace and Early Childhood Australia to run a $52.6 million program, providing tools for teachers to support kids with mental health concerns, and resources for students to help them deal with any challenges they may be going through.

NAIDOC Week

The 2017 NAIDOC Week celebrations will be held around Australia from 2–9 July to acknowledge the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The week is celebrated not just in the Indigenous communities but also in increasing numbers of government agencies, schools, local councils and workplaces. Click here if you would like to get involved or find an event near you.

Survey opportunity

The Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) is currently in the planning stages for its next conference to be held in July 2018. AIFS wants to put 'what matters most to families' at the centre of its next conference, so is inviting readers to participate in a short survey to help shape it. The AIFS survey closes Friday 30 June 2017—click here to take part today.

Re-imagining Childhood

The South Australian Collaborative Childhood Project invites you to attend Re-imagining Childhood from 6–8 November 2017 at the Adelaide Convention Centre. A conference filled with provocations and possibilities, delegates will have the opportunity to engage with leaders in early childhood to inspire and inform early childhood policy and practices in their own context.

ECA Leadership Program

The all new ECA Leadership Program is a strengths-based, self-directed, short-term program for both current and aspiring early childhood leaders in diverse settings. The program has now been officially launched, along with the new website. This program has also embedded the sector's first Leadership Capability Framework. Sign up now!

Closing soon!

Early bird registrations close this week, Friday 23 June, for the 7th SNAICC National Conference! Held in Canberra from 12–14 September, the conference promises to be a powerful and inspiring learning experience for all attendees, featuring international and local keynote speakers, yarning circles and workshops, and cultural performances.

Tech boost for regional schools

As part of the Connecting Country Schools program, Deputy Premier, John Barilaro, and Assistant Minister for Education, Sarah Mitchell, announced $46 million will be invested to upgrade wireless connectivity to more than 900 regional and remote New South Wales schools.

Introducing CELA

Community Child Care Co-operative has now launched its national presence as Community Early Learning Australia (CELA). CELA's new presence in the sector hopes to align more closely with the experience of modern educators.

Start Strong

The New South Wales (NSW) Start Strong program has been extended until 2021 after an additional $217 million was invested from the NSW budget. This will continue to help make early childhood education more affordable for families.


	Australia's rising immunisation rates

	A new report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has revealed that the proportion of Australian children who are fully immunised is continuing to rise, but that significant variation still remains across local communities. Healthy communities: Immunisation rates for children in 2015–16 examines immunisation rates across Australia's 31 Primary Health Network areas—organisations that connect health services over local geographic areas.


	Child abuse and neglect

	A new resource sheet released from the Australian Institute of Family Studies discusses a snapshot of data describing child protection activity in Australia, and presents a summary of the data provided in the Child Protection Australia 2015–16 report. Read the full resource sheet, Child abuse and neglect statistics, here.


	In state and territory news ...

	Across New South Wales, school children are set to benefit from a new $100 rebate for sporting and fitness related costs; changes to the Home Schooling Regulations in Victoria will help ensure children being educated at home are receiving the best education possible; in Queensland, flashing school zone signs have been installed at 100 schools this past financial year; the South Australian Education Department has produced a 'snapshot' guide for parents and caregivers to summarise the seven general capabilities students learn throughout their schooling; the Australian Capital Territory Government will conduct a review into the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out of home care; in Western Australia, more than $750 000 in funding has been provided to 50 community language schools through the McGowan Government's Community Languages Program; following recommendations of the Strong Families, Safe Kids report, the Hodgman Liberal Government in Tasmania is investing in a range of actions to strengthen the capability and safety of Child Safety Service staff; and in the Northern Territory, Aboriginal women from Alice Springs Town Camps are calling on all Australians to recognise and support their efforts to make their families and communities safer.

New module

'Understanding and making art: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art in early childhood settings' by Jo Krabman will be available on the ECA Learning Hub website and within a subscription from Friday 23 June. Explore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and discover the ways educators can encourage children to create and think critically about art and the art-making process.

Join now!

According to the latest UNICEF report, countries like Malta and Israel are achieving 99.9 per cent of children attending early education. So why is Australia still lagging behind the rest of the world at around 80 per cent? To help bring up Australia's percentage, join the Early Learning: Everyone Benefits campaign to be part of the drive to get access to quality early learning for all Australian children.

Power hour

Spend a fun and informative power hour with KidsMatter's Rita Johnston and Amelia Joyce to discover everything you need to know about why KidsMatter is essential at your place. Once registered, your early childhood setting will have access to great resources, the chance to participate in events and get individualised support and guidance from the KidsMatter team. Register for the webinar here.

New blog

Following on from her last blog post, parent Kate Mackenzie explores her life supporting her son with an 'unseen disability', and how she's worked with the school and health professionals to support him. Read Supporting a child with an unseen disability here.

Giftedness

'At times, giftedness can be a lonely reality for parents who are unprepared for ... the advanced development and particular characteristics and demands of their young gifted children.' Read more of Cathie Harrison's blog, Exploring giftedness, here.

Save the date!

Save the date for the 2018 AJEC Research Symposium! For the first time, the AJEC Symposium will be held as a standalone event from 16–17 February 2018, providing even more opportunities to share and discuss innovative research and findings. Call for papers will open soon!

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Early Childhood Australia disclaimer
The opinions expressed in the articles and external links are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Early Childhood Australia.

ECA WebWatch—Issue 262, June 2017.